Chapter Twenty
Alexei
Ryleigh sits across from me, her legs folded beneath her on the booth.
She’s rigid, and has barely looked at me.
It stings more than I’d like to admit. She’s dressed in a pair of leggings and an oversized sweatshirt that keeps falling off one shoulder, her hair is up in a messy bun like she couldn’t be bothered with it this morning, but she still looks so good that it hurts to know I can’t reach over and touch her.
She finally responded to my text late last night and agreed to breakfast. After that, Weston and Colin left, and I tried in vain to sleep. Practice was a blur, and now I’m here.
My stomach is in knots, and I hate everything about this. Ella rests next to her, still strapped into the baby carrier. I wish she’d cry, scream, do something, because at least then it would match how I feel right now.
I lean in closer. “Did I do something wrong?”
Ryleigh’s eyes flash to mine. “No. Of course not. You’ve been incredible. More than I could have ever asked for.”
The waitress chooses that moment to deliver the coffees we’ve both ordered.
“Thank you.” Ryleigh reaches for her mug and dumps in a generous splash of cream.
The waitress flips open a notepad and looks at me. “What are you having?”
“Five eggs, over easy. Breakfast sausage. Two pancakes with bacon, and a side of wheat toast, please.” My gaze swings to Ryleigh, who’s stirring her coffee, staring at it intently rather than looking at me. “Ry?”
“Oh, nothing for me. Just coffee.”
I shake my head. “You’re eating. What do you want? Eggs? Pancakes?”
She rolls her eyes. “Fine. French toast, please. With a side of bacon.”
Satisfied, the waitress flips her notebook closed and saunters away.
Ryleigh’s got to get over this whole thing about me paying.
I make millions, and it does me no good sitting in a bank account.
I enjoy treating my friends and family. It pisses me off when she takes that away from me, and I think I’ve done everything I can to not make her feel like she and Ella are a financial burden.
I take a sip of my coffee, trying to compose myself. My chest feels tight, and I have no idea why I’m out of breath like I just ran a four-second forty.
Ella wakes suddenly, letting out a sharp cry.
Ryleigh flinches and turns toward the baby. She unbuckles the straps and carefully lifts her out. “She needs a new diaper.”
I rise to my feet and reach for her. “I’ve got it.”
Ryleigh frowns, but makes no move to pass Ella over.
I thrust my hands closer. “I said I’ve got it.” Is she really going to rob me of this too? I didn’t even get to say good-bye to Ella yesterday before they just took off.
Finally, Ryleigh relents and hands the baby to me. I shoulder the diaper bag and stalk off for the restrooms at the back corner of the restaurant.
Cradling the baby against my chest, I head into the men’s room and find a dude at the urinals taking a piss, but no baby-changing station. Crap.
The guy flashes me a confused look, and I have no idea if it’s because he’s recognized me or because I’m holding a baby.
I huff out a frustrated sigh and exit, heading straight into the women’s restroom. Thankfully, it’s deserted, but even if it weren’t, I’d like to see someone try to stop me from changing Ella. She needs a new diaper. And we need a changing table.
I open the changing table and wipe it down with an antibacterial wipe from the diaper bag, then lay down a small blanket and place Ella on top.
“You okay, princess? I’ll get you cleaned up good as new.”
She makes a soft cooing noise, and my throat tightens.
I unsnap her onesie and remove the soiled diaper, wiping her carefully like my older sister taught me the first time I changed her daughter. Once Ella’s perfectly clean, I take out a new diaper and cover her.
“That’s my girl.” I grin down at her, snapping up the buttons on her pink onesie.
The words lodge in my throat. It’s a lie. She’s not my girl. And neither is Ryleigh.
But I intend to find out why, and what I can do about it. I finish up and scrub hand sanitizer into my hands.
“Let’s roll, baby.”
I lift her into my arms and head back into the dining room. Once we arrive at the table, I hand her to Ryleigh.
“She smells so much better now.” Ryleigh smiles for the first time since she arrived, and it’s not lost on me.
“She’s perfectly clean,” I say, sitting back down on my side of the booth.
Ryleigh’s eyebrows pinch together as she looks toward the restroom doors. “Did you change her in the women’s room?”
I shrug. “There wasn’t a changing table in the men’s. Trust me, I’m going to say something to the manager when we leave.”
Ryleigh’s eyes widen and she takes a sip of her coffee, knowing better than to argue with me about this.
A silence descends upon us, and I can’t help but want to cut to the chase—to get to the real reason why we’re here. The waitress provided a nice distraction, and then Ella’s diaper, but I need answers. Plain and simple.
“Can I ask . . . did something happen that made you leave yesterday?”
She sets her coffee mug down and finally meets my eyes. “I got in touch with Andi.”
My heart starts to thump hard. “Yeah? That’s good, right?”
Ella’s still with Ryleigh, though, now seated in the carrier on the booth seat next to her. So, obviously that’s part of whatever is going on. My stomach tightens. Didn’t Andi want her daughter back?
She pauses, running her hands through her hair, stalling for time. “Andi has cancer. She’s dying. And she asked me to be Ella’s legal guardian.”
Wait, what? That’s a lot to take in. And not at all what I expected. I figured Andi couldn’t handle being a mom and ran off. Fuck, this is so much worse. “What did you say?”
Ryleigh touches a stray lock of her hair that’s escaped her loose ponytail. “I signed the papers. There’s no one else. And the only other option for Ella is that she’d be a ward of the state. I couldn’t bear the thought of abandoning her.”
“I see.” My heart clenches inside my chest. Damn. Ryleigh’s so headstrong. So independent. So sweet. It’s heartbreaking. It’s… I don’t know. “Still doesn’t explain why you left.”
Her gaze suddenly snaps up to mine. “I don’t want to burden you. You’ve done enough.”
I feel like I’ve been sucker punched. “You were never a burden to me, Ryleigh. Neither was Ella. You guys were all I thought about when I was gone those two days. And having you both around made me realize what I’ve been missing out on living the bachelor life.
You brought meaning to my days, and even though you’re a pain in the ass,” I smirk at her, “walking into the apartment last night and realizing you both were gone . . . fuck, it almost gutted me. I want you both to come back to my pla— I mean, our place.”
Her mouth presses into a line. “I’d never ask that of you. We hardly know each other, Alexei.”
That’s bullshit, and she knows it. We know all the things that matter. I know what’s in her heart, and she knows mine. Yeah, it’s fast, but when you know, you know. Right? Isn’t that what everyone always says?
But I don’t say any of this. I take a second to compose myself, pulling a deep breath into my lungs. “I know you wouldn’t ask, but I’m offering, Ry. There’s a difference.”
She swallows, still looking down. Still quiet.
Shit. I feel like I’m about to fucking beg her to come back.
I’ve never begged a woman in my damn life.
But there’s something different about her, about our connection, and I’m not willing to give up on us.
This could be the start of something real.
It doesn’t bother me in the slightest that she and Ella come as a package deal.
The truth is, the baby has grown on me over the past couple of weeks. I want them both in my life.
“I also didn’t want to assume you’d want to date someone with a baby. Pre-made family and all that. Before, we both thought this was me temporarily watching Ella. Now, she’s all mine, no take-backs, no returns.”
Warmth spreads inside my chest. “I’m a big boy. I can decide what I want, Ryleigh.”
Her mouth twitches. “And what do you want?”
I lean closer. “I’m looking at it. I’ve never wanted two women in my life more than I do right now.”
Ryleigh gives me a doubtful glance like she doesn’t truly believe me, but she doesn’t say a word. Our food is delivered before I have a chance to say anything else, and we dig in together.
“Mmm . . . this French toast is amazing.” She cuts off a piece for me. “Try a bite?”
I grin. “Sure.” She brings the fork to my lips, and I accept the bite. Warm maple syrup and the sweetness from the powdered sugar hit my tongue. “Delicious.”
It’s crazy how comfortable we are together. Anyone looking at us might think we’re an old married couple. Why does that thought make me smile rather than cringe? It’s so not like me, but everything with her just feels right. It’s crazy, but true.
Ella’s still sound asleep by the time we finish. She really is a good baby. After I pay the bill, we go outside to the parking lot.
“I don’t want to rush you, but I like having you guys close, and more importantly, safe. Come home with me?” Permanently. I don’t say that last part, but we’ll get there. I hope.
Ryleigh nods. “We’d love to.”
She hops into her car and follows me home.
It’s easier than transferring the car seat to my car in the freezing cold weather.
When I glance back at her ancient rusty sedan, I make a mental note to buy her a new car.
Something safer, more reliable. Ryleigh won’t like it, and that thought makes me smile. Twisted, I know.
I guess I’d just gotten used to being taken advantage of, and the fact that this woman couldn’t care less about my fame or fortune has blindsided me.
Her sass and attitude about being independent makes me smile.
Geez, having her and a baby in my house at the same time makes me smile.
I may have gotten in over my head—but damn, I know it’ll be worth every second.
Back at my place, we unpack the diaper bag and I survey the guest room.